Final answer:
In 'The Canterbury Tales,' 'The Pardoner's Tale,' 'vice' refers to the weakness of character, specifically avarice or extreme greed, which the Pardoner ironically admits to practicing.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the excerpt from “The Canterbury Tales, “The Pardoner’s Tale,” the term vice refers to a weakness of character or a negative character trait. Specifically, in this context, the vice that is being referred to is avarice, which means extreme greed for wealth or material gain. The Pardoner admits that he preaches against greed, which is the very vice that he is guilty of, as he makes his living by extracting money from others through his religious position. In this context, the speaker is preaching against the sin of avarice, which is excessive greed for wealth or material possessions. The speaker is acknowledging the irony of condemning the very vice that he himself profits from.